VANAGANDR is a Black Metal band formed in Chile in 2021. Their EPK came without any information whatsoever so I had to turn to The Metal Archives in order to find the line-up. This is their debut album, and contains eight tracks. "(Intro) The Call" is the first cut. It begins with a wolf howl, and clean and somber guitars, followed by horrid screams. The title track kicks off the full assault of the album. What strikes me right away is the awful production...way too much treble in the mix. Amidst the chaotic music are just harrowing screams over and over.

"Lord of the Spirit Wolves" features much of the same sound. With some phasing issues, you can unfortunately tell the amateur quality of the music here. A wall of guitars, thunderous drums, and vocal screams reign. "Grim Werewolf" begins with multiple wolf howls, and a slow and harrowing sound. The echoed vocal screams are beginning to get a bit old. Although the sound is scary, that's about all they have going for them. "Hymn to the Black Wolf" is a faster song that has more guitar presence. It moves forward with a blistering sound but the drums and cymbal strikes are somewhat elementary.

"Somber Omens of Vilkaci" opens with another thickened sound, but the riffs are a bit slower. In comes the screams, and you can bet now that they are a staple on the album. The pace quickens to obliterate everything in existence, before slowing again. "Fullmoon Witchcraft" features another slamming and brutal sound without letting up. The main problem here however is that there is very little variation from song to song. "(Outro) Under the Enchanted Moon" closes the album. It's a short little song with the first details of diversity on the album, featuring scary and somber guitar notes with some effects behind them, but it's too little, too late I'm afraid.

Although the album was frightening, that's about all it has going for it. The songs blended together so closely that you could have been listening to just one extended track. I know it's Black Metal, but at least try some variation now and again. As it stands, it's pretty hopeless.